Document text
62 °F Forecast | Road Cams Friday, March 18, 2005 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Health Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley SHOP OUR VALLEY AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Classified Place an ad TOP JOBS EXTRA Ashland News NIE Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Moving here? eSouthernOregon CUSTOMER SERVICE FAQ's Advertise with us Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend March 15, 2005 Windy weather contributes to various minor fires By MARK FREEMAN Mail Tribune Dry conditions and a spate of gusty winds Sunday caused a string of early-season wildland fires in Jackson County, where fire crews spent Monday chasing grass and forest fires attributed to human error. The largest was an 18-acre fire discovered Monday on private timberland in the Conley Springs area between Prospect and Butte Falls, according to the Oregon Department of Forestry. The landowner, two ODFW engines, a state bulldozer and an 18-person fire crew from Boise Corp. attacked that fire and were able to get it encircled with a fire line, said Terri Frazier, dispatch supervisor at the Oregon Department of Forestry’s office in Central Point. The fire was considered contained but not controlled late Monday, Frazier said. Other fires ODF crews fought Monday included a 1½ -acre blaze off Duggan Road under investigation and a grass fire off Blackwell Road, Frazier said. These fires were considered carry-overs from the weekend and likely Sunday afternoon, when wind gusts descended on the region as many rural residents cleared and burned brush in preparation for the fire season. Advertisement "I attribute a lot of this to the warm ... day (Sunday), and it was a windy day to boot," Frazier said. "Sometimes I don’t think (people) realize how dry things are and how fast something can get away." That’s what happened to a landowner on the 700 block of Alpine Road near Eagle Point Sunday afternoon, when flames from a burn pile spilled over and caused an estimated $4,800 in damage, according to Jackson County Fire District No. 3. The property owner told firefighters he left the burning pile alone briefly to attend to other chores, according to Don Hickman, a deputy fire marshal in the district. The fire engulfed a Mazda pickup and a metal shed containing ranching tools before spreading to a nearby corral, Hickman said. Seven units and 14 district firefighters battled that fire and 19 others Sunday, Hickman said. "Even though we tell people this is a good time to clean up, people need to be attentive to the changing weather conditions," Hickman said. The winds occurred when a weather system that moved through the area Sunday cooled high-elevation air, said Roger Gerig from the National Weather Service’s Medford station. The cooling air allowed bursts of strong high-elevation winds to travel down to the valley floor. The peak wind measured at the Medford airport hit 24 mph, Gerig said Light winds were expected todayand a new system moving in Wednesday was forecast to bring little if any rain but afternoon winds that could hit 20-30 mph, Gerig said. "That’s not much for a windy place," Gerig said. "But for a place like this where it never blows, it will seem strong." Reach reporter Mark Freeman at 776-4470, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback Student Loan Consolidation Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers home equity loans helzberg Slippers Student Loans afsa teleconferencing Memory Foam Mattress w2 forms Tatoo Advertisement s